Brussels,  3  December  2009 – The world’s leading heavy-duty vehicle and

engine  manufacturing companies urge the close cooperation between policy

makers  in  Europe,  the United States and Japan to develop practical and

effective   fuel-efficiency   measurement   metrics,   methodologies  and

regulations which would then be used all around the globe.

Over a dozen chief executives of the global commercial vehicle industry –

including  Caterpillar,  Cummins, Daimler, Hino, Isuzu, Iveco, Mack, MAN,

Mitsubishi  Fuso,  Navistar, Nissan Diesel, Scania, Volvo and Volkswagen,

met  today  in  Brussels to discuss various opportunities and needs their

industry  is  facing.  The discussions focused primarily on the issues of

climate  change  and  global energy security, but also covered global air

quality-   related   emissions   standards,  improved  fuel  quality  and

specifications for renewable fuels.

The  manufacturers agreed to actively encourage global policy cooperation

and  to  provide  their  expertise to ensure that regulatory developments

enhance  the  industry’s technological progress within realistic time and

economic constraints.  “A coordinated global approach for our industry is

the  most effective way to contribute to achieving global fuel efficiency

improvements  from  the  road  freight  sector”, said Leif Östling, Chief

Executive  Officer  of Scania and Chairman of the ACEA Commercial Vehicle

Board,  who  hosted  the  meeting in Brussels.  “We serve a global market

place,  and want to avoid conflicting regulations from different regions.

That is simply too costly, and impedes technological progress.”

“The world’s leading commercial engine and vehicle manufacturers are well

aware of the importance of fuel efficiency to their customers and support

gobal efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  Global cooperation in

developing specific requirements, as well as metrics and methodologies to

evaluate fuel efficiency, provides needed elements to further improve the

environmental performance of our vehicles and increases the efficiency of

goods transport. That will serve both our customers and the environment,”

added Östling.

It is the seventh year that the chief executives of the global commercial

vehicle and engine manufacturers met to address important industry issues

on  a  global  level.  The meetings bring together representatives of the

European  Automobile  Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), Japan Automobile

Manufacturers Association (JAMA), Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA),

and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA).

Continuing  the  progress  made  at  previous  meetings,  the  executives

discussed  how  the global harmonisation of technical standards affecting

heavy-duty  engines  and  vehicles  could  further  improve environmental

performance and road freight movement efficiency.

Among the key topics addressed at the meeting were:

Ongoing activities in Japan, US and EU on fuel efficiency of

heavy-duty vehicles

Progress in developing a globally accepted method for the

certification of heavy-duty hybrid electric vehicles

The use of computer simulations to evaluate fuel efficiency of

the diverse commercial vehicle configurations and usage

The positive outcome of the UNECE efforts in establishing a

Global Technical Regulation for gaseous emissions testing of

heavy-duty engines (WHDC gtr)

As  a  result of today’s meeting, the chief executives agreed to initiate

through  OICA a proposal to UNECE to develop a certification procedure of

heavy-duty hybrid electric vehicles based upon the HILS procedure used in

Japan and to ask UNECE to address this issue with urgency.

Furthermore,  and  in  relation  to  exhaust  emission  requirements, the

manufacturers   agreed  to  recommend  the  introduction  of  legislative

requirements  regarding  market  fuels,  in  order  to  ensure  that  the

appropriate,   high-quality  fossil  and  renewable  fuels  are  globally

available  for  today’s  vehicle  technologies.  The  commercial  vehicle

industry  will  work with the oil industry to underline the importance of

this issue and ensure a constructive dialogue.

Considering  the  positive outcome of the UNECE process on establishing a

harmonised  engine  certification  procedure for emissions related to air

quality,  the chief executives encourages UNECE to take advantage of this

momentum  and  initiate  activities with the objective to develop metrics

and methods to measure fuel efficiency of heavy-duty vehicles and engines

and  for evaluating fuel efficiency improvements of components related to

air and rolling resistance.

Mr  Daniel  Ustian, Chairman, President, and CEO of Navistar, extended an

invitation  to  the  eighth Global Commercial Vehicle Industry Meeting in

the USA in 2010.

For further information regarding the meeting, please contact:

Europe    Sigrid de Vries           ACEA            +32 2 738 73 45

Japan     Yoshihiro Yano            JAMA            +81 3 5405 6126

USA       Joseph Suchecki       EMA/TMA       +1 312 827 8700

 www.acea.be